Improvement in thill-couplings



A. P. LADD. THILL-COUPLINGS.

No. 193.664. Patented Jul-y 31,1877.

v N.PETERS, PNOTO-LITHDGRAFHER, wASmNGTOMp C UNITED STATES ALEXANDER P.LADD, OF ST. LAWRENCE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN THiLL-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.l 93,664, dated July 3l,1877; application led May 17,1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, ALEX. P. LADD, of St.Lawrence, in the county of Jefferson and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Thill-Uouplings; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists of a spiral spring, in combination with thecoupling-bolt of a thillcoupling; and also in a novel form andarrangement of a plate-spring, in combination with the elip-cap andthill-coupling, which will be fully explained in the followingdescription.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is thill E, all of which may beof the usual general form.

The coupling-bolt F is made longer than usual, and supported by a rod orbar, H, attached to the clip, as seen in Fig. l. Around the bolt F is acoiled spring, G, pressing against a shoulder on the bolt, which is thusheld in place, so that no jar or knock could uncouple the thill, but byseizing hold of the nut on the end of bolt F the latter may be drawn outof the thill, which is thus released in a moment, and may in like mannerbe replaced.

This improvement may be easily applied to old buggies or the ordinaryclips by simply making a screw-hole in the ear of the clip for insertingthe rodH, and the use of a long bolt, as described.

Another feature of my improvement is the spring screw clip-cap C C',which is folded back under the end of the thill, so as to support thesame, and also to prevent the rattling and wear on the coupling-bolt.This is an advantage over other similar springs where the weight of thethill rides and wears on the bolt.

By the above-described arrangement it is very easy to couple or uncouplethe thills, which, being laid in place upon the springs C', will restthereon, While both hands of the operator are free to insert thecoupling-bolt F in coupling the thills, or to remove the bolt inuncoupling the same. This is a great advantage over springs which do notform a rest for the thills.

It may be added that the spring C need not necessarily be made in thesame piece with the clip-cap C, though I prefer this coustruction.

I do not broadly claim the use of a coiled spring in combination with acoupling-bolt of a thill-coupling, but limit my claim to the specialconstruction and arrangement above described. And I may mention that thebolt F has the nut or cap l fastened in place by riveting, so that nojar can loosen the nut, andthe rod H cannot be loosened by jarring.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. rPhe coupling-boltF, surrounded by the spring G and supported by the arln H, substantiallyas set forth.

2. The plate-spring C', extending forward from the clip-cap (l, and thenfolding back under the thill, so as to support the latter, substantiallyin the manner and for the purposes set forth.-

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

ALEX. P. LADD.

Witnesses DANIEL BREED, THOMAS C. CoNNoLLY.

